Landscape composition and configuration influence the natural pest control services in rice agroecosystems

On-Demand

Presenting Author(s)

Dr Panna Ali

Louisiana State University and BRRI
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Co-Author(s)

GO

Gemma Ortha
MK

MMM Kabir
SH

SS Haque

Bangladesh Rice Research Institute
Gazipur, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Douglas A. Landis

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

The importance of landscape heterogeneity in agricultural landscapes for the maintenance of regulatory ecosystem functions, including herbivore regulation, has often been discussed in the scientific literature. An increasing number of studies support an idea that the efficiency of natural enemies in regulating herbivores can be enhanced by increasing the structural and compositional diversity of rice- associated habitat. Most of this research has been conducted at field and plot scales without regard to the influence of natural vegetation outside and often distant from the experimental plots or fields. For the first time, we quantify the heterogeneity of managed rice landscapes surrounding each experimental site based on high-resolution satellite imagery using four independent metrics of landscape composition and configuration. To our knowledge, this is the first study to separate the influences of associated habitat, rice field and the trophic composition of rice-associated arthropods on the biocontrol potential of rice landscape. We examine the effects of landscape heterogeneity on natural pest control communities, particularly the natural enemies, and identify the spatial scales at which these effects are most. Results show that significantly higher number biocontrol agents present in Potuakhali than Satkhira. Potuakhali has more heterozygous landscape than that of Satkhira considering landscape composition and configuration. More diverse landscape composition was observed in Potuakhali which serve suitable shelter and resources for predators especially lady bird beetles and spiders. These predators show significant higher pest control services in rice field.